Now I know I said less than a week ago that I wasn't really a fan of English bands, but to tell you the truth, Primal Scream don't have that Oasis/Blur sound that irritates me so much.
Primal Scream is made up of a number of characters who, live, amuse me, and when I listen to them at home just make me want to dance. Or wobble. Or nod my head along with the beat.
I didn't really get into Primal Scream until I saw them perform live at Roskilde 2006. I had obviously heard their stuff, but didn't really get it. But seeing Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Mani (one of the most underrated but definitely insane bassists - was in The Stone Roses - look them up if you can be bothered!) doing their thing on stage to a crowd of insane Scandawegians (it's a word ... I made it up, Stephen Fry knicked it - I want royalties, kay?) whilst England got knocked out of the World Cup was amazing.
All of their albums are wicked, but if you are looking for a (not so) gentle introduction into the band, may I recommend Give Out But Don't Give Up, which has some cracking tunes on it, but if that turns out to be a bit too happy/dancy, then give Riot City Blues a chance. Remember folks, it's the four song rule. You have to listen to four songs before you decide if you like em or not - and two that I heartily recommend are Jailbird and Rocks from Give Out But Don't Give Up and Riot City Blues from the same named album.
Happy listening, and I promise to move away from happy music! Or not.
Tuesday 8 June 2010
Decorating frenzy, MRI, and random thoughts of the week
This week is going to be a bit of a strange one in the Beefam house. We started redecorating my bedroom (aka the lounge) two years ago, just before I went into hospital for the first time. We stripped 100 years worth of wallpaper (where previous occupants had just wallpapered over - it was like going back in time each new layer we found!) removed the really horrid pink carpet, and burned the really dreadful pink curtains (which, I hasten to add, came with the house).
Then I was admitted to hospital, my health steadily deteriorated, and nothing (and I mean NOTHING) was done about the bare walls, and bare floor boards. Fast forward two years, and finally we are getting round to doing something about it - hopefully it's so that Tigga can bring rich chicks home, so we can all retire, and live off her, but I digress.
Tigga has been in mega planning mode for the past week, deciding whenwe they are going to do what. And today was the first day. Which is insanity, as I have to work tonight, so sleeping for me was always going to be a problem, and Tigga got off nights this morning. Still, the boys have managed to sugar soap and first coat paint one half of the room. Second half tomorrow, and hopefully floors laid by Thursday!
I have my MRI tomorrow evening. It's a 7pm appointment, which is odd, but I guess theprick consultant that I argued with after being admitted two weeks ago has realised that I may well be going insane due to pain, there may actually be something properly wrong with me. Or not. I shall keep y'all posted. And no jokes about finding a brain, as I have already had an MRI, and it proved conclusively that I had a brain - or it may have been a growth. Who can tell?
The Mentalist is going to see the GP tomorrow. We went to see the bitch the day before we went up north, with me sitting in her office, clutching my head, and eventually getting up and walking out. Now, I don't know about you, but to me, the fact that I felt the need to get up and walk out because I was in too much pain, should have caused alarm bells. But do you know what this alleged Doctor does? Nothing. Not one single thing. She doesn't try and look at me. She doesn't call me later to find out if I am ok. She doesn't do one single thing. And I know y'all have said that I need to change doctors. And I will. But I am sending The Mentalist in for one last chance, to see if she does have a heart, or even an empathetic bone in her body. And if she doesn't, we shall change, and we shall also report her to the GMC for a complete lack of care. Again, I shall keep you posted.
The Mentalist may have a new job. Or at least there is one that he will be applying for. Which is a damn shame, as I had quite grown to love having a butler. But the extra income for shoes would be good, so I guess I have to take the good with the bad.
And I am taking Thursday night off, as I really do need a break from this place. I know I have just had one, but you probably won't have noticed I am getting a bit stressed! So it's two one day weeks for me! Woo hoo! And if The Mentalist does his job properly, I might even get signed off for the rest of the week. But we shall have to wait and see.
But I hope you all had a great weekend. Not long til summer (and for me, it's only 18 days until Roskilde! Woo freaken hoo!!!!!!)
Then I was admitted to hospital, my health steadily deteriorated, and nothing (and I mean NOTHING) was done about the bare walls, and bare floor boards. Fast forward two years, and finally we are getting round to doing something about it - hopefully it's so that Tigga can bring rich chicks home, so we can all retire, and live off her, but I digress.
Tigga has been in mega planning mode for the past week, deciding when
I have my MRI tomorrow evening. It's a 7pm appointment, which is odd, but I guess the
The Mentalist is going to see the GP tomorrow. We went to see the bitch the day before we went up north, with me sitting in her office, clutching my head, and eventually getting up and walking out. Now, I don't know about you, but to me, the fact that I felt the need to get up and walk out because I was in too much pain, should have caused alarm bells. But do you know what this alleged Doctor does? Nothing. Not one single thing. She doesn't try and look at me. She doesn't call me later to find out if I am ok. She doesn't do one single thing. And I know y'all have said that I need to change doctors. And I will. But I am sending The Mentalist in for one last chance, to see if she does have a heart, or even an empathetic bone in her body. And if she doesn't, we shall change, and we shall also report her to the GMC for a complete lack of care. Again, I shall keep you posted.
The Mentalist may have a new job. Or at least there is one that he will be applying for. Which is a damn shame, as I had quite grown to love having a butler. But the extra income for shoes would be good, so I guess I have to take the good with the bad.
And I am taking Thursday night off, as I really do need a break from this place. I know I have just had one, but you probably won't have noticed I am getting a bit stressed! So it's two one day weeks for me! Woo hoo! And if The Mentalist does his job properly, I might even get signed off for the rest of the week. But we shall have to wait and see.
But I hope you all had a great weekend. Not long til summer (and for me, it's only 18 days until Roskilde! Woo freaken hoo!!!!!!)
Thursday 3 June 2010
Band of the Week (a little late, I know, but stop bitching!) - Letters to Cleo
I first got into Letters to Cleo when I was at Boarding School. I didn't fit in, so I went out of my way to really not fit in, so whilst everyone around me was listening to British Indie, I get very seriously into American grunge and indie music. To this day, I can't really stand a lot of the 90's British bands, but that's just me being a choosy cow!
LTC were, for me, something of a change, as I have never been a huge fan of female vocalists (summat to do with being an Alto - can't actually sing along properly to women). Still, I was introduced to them by someone I knew living in the US, and really got a kick out of them.
I find their music happy, and to be honest, isn't that really why we listen to music. Even death metal can be happy, if it strikes the right chord in you. And I will hold my hand up and say there is some music in my history that really should remain there. But to this day, when I hear "Here & Now" I want to jump up and down (which is silly, as I would just fall over!).
So a short but sweet post on a band did disband, but have since reformed, and make me happy. If you want to put a smile on your face, give these guys a listen.
Next week, I shall (work permitting) do a bit more on metal - which is the only reason y'all stop in, I know. I might even do it this week, as work have pissed me off so much, I am going to take more me time, and do less work time!
LTC were, for me, something of a change, as I have never been a huge fan of female vocalists (summat to do with being an Alto - can't actually sing along properly to women). Still, I was introduced to them by someone I knew living in the US, and really got a kick out of them.
I find their music happy, and to be honest, isn't that really why we listen to music. Even death metal can be happy, if it strikes the right chord in you. And I will hold my hand up and say there is some music in my history that really should remain there. But to this day, when I hear "Here & Now" I want to jump up and down (which is silly, as I would just fall over!).
So a short but sweet post on a band did disband, but have since reformed, and make me happy. If you want to put a smile on your face, give these guys a listen.
Next week, I shall (work permitting) do a bit more on metal - which is the only reason y'all stop in, I know. I might even do it this week, as work have pissed me off so much, I am going to take more me time, and do less work time!
Complaining again!
But then again, why else do I have a blog? And for my faithful few, I apologise for being the moody bitch of note recently, but hey, when you just gotta vent, you gotta vent.
You know what is irritating me the most about all the shit that is going on is that I don't even have the time to catch up with blogs. It isn't that I don't love you, it's just that I don't particularly love myself at the moment. And work are being their usual arsey self, so I am not even having enough downtime to write, read, or just generally realise that the world aint that shit, it's just the situation I happen to find myself in at the minute.
The Mentalist and Tigga have been such angels. I (who NEVER cries) have broken down more times in the past month than I have in about 10 years. It isn't good. And I am not a pretty crier. I hate people who can get away with crying, and they just look cute, or sweet, or nice. Me, I sob, which makes my face go bright red, my nose compete with Rudolf, and I end up looking like I have done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. Which is a look no-one can get away with. So to them, I apologise. I will sort myself out, I promise. Just continue being you, and continue loving me without restrictions. I put enough of them on myself, so thank you for just letting me get on with it.
To the faithful readers, and lurkers, I thank you for being you. For not knocking me when I am down, for quietly being a support network I so desperately crave, for just being the beautiful people that you are. When I find me again, I am coming to find each and everyone of you - especially you, Soccer Mom, and give you the hug back that you have been giving me. I love you! And the first bottle of vodka's on me! Not literally! But you know what I mean.
So to main whinge of today's post. Hopefully all you nice people will have given yourself a pat on the back, or a hug, or even a glass of wine, and will have buggered off, so I don't have to bore/upset/irritate you in to not coming back to visit.
I have already spoken about the hole that is the company I work for. Every day before I come into the office, I sit on my couch and dread what I will come into. The work itself is fine. I have no problems with the people that I work with. I just hate the company. I work for an outsource company, which means that their number one fcuking commodity is people. You wouldn't think that if you were to see the way they treat us.
They have this policy whereby there can only be two people off per shift. Which is fine, if they ensure that the two people are doing the same job. But no. Unless it is management, who can do whatever the fcuk they please, it is two people per shift full stop.
I came in last night to do a training exercise. Not on anything new, obviously, but shit that we do every day in our jobs. Now call me old fashioned, but surely if I were unable to do the job, it would have been picked up by now. But the training team feel they have to justify their jobs, so we get to do a stupid training exercise.
Every single day there is some new rule and regulation that we have to adhere to, and I was chatting about it with a colleague who said to me "well, at least we have a job". This is exactly what they want us to think. So we will carry on bending over further and further, whilst they continue taking the piss, and not rock the boat. I am fed up with being treated like a production line. I am a human being. I may have issues, but I do have feelings.
The time has come. It isn't just work, it's life in general. We are being shafted, people, and it is time to start the revolution. I don't know how, but I am the revolution, and I want my fucking life back.
You know what is irritating me the most about all the shit that is going on is that I don't even have the time to catch up with blogs. It isn't that I don't love you, it's just that I don't particularly love myself at the moment. And work are being their usual arsey self, so I am not even having enough downtime to write, read, or just generally realise that the world aint that shit, it's just the situation I happen to find myself in at the minute.
The Mentalist and Tigga have been such angels. I (who NEVER cries) have broken down more times in the past month than I have in about 10 years. It isn't good. And I am not a pretty crier. I hate people who can get away with crying, and they just look cute, or sweet, or nice. Me, I sob, which makes my face go bright red, my nose compete with Rudolf, and I end up looking like I have done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. Which is a look no-one can get away with. So to them, I apologise. I will sort myself out, I promise. Just continue being you, and continue loving me without restrictions. I put enough of them on myself, so thank you for just letting me get on with it.
To the faithful readers, and lurkers, I thank you for being you. For not knocking me when I am down, for quietly being a support network I so desperately crave, for just being the beautiful people that you are. When I find me again, I am coming to find each and everyone of you - especially you, Soccer Mom, and give you the hug back that you have been giving me. I love you! And the first bottle of vodka's on me! Not literally! But you know what I mean.
So to main whinge of today's post. Hopefully all you nice people will have given yourself a pat on the back, or a hug, or even a glass of wine, and will have buggered off, so I don't have to bore/upset/irritate you in to not coming back to visit.
I have already spoken about the hole that is the company I work for. Every day before I come into the office, I sit on my couch and dread what I will come into. The work itself is fine. I have no problems with the people that I work with. I just hate the company. I work for an outsource company, which means that their number one fcuking commodity is people. You wouldn't think that if you were to see the way they treat us.
They have this policy whereby there can only be two people off per shift. Which is fine, if they ensure that the two people are doing the same job. But no. Unless it is management, who can do whatever the fcuk they please, it is two people per shift full stop.
I came in last night to do a training exercise. Not on anything new, obviously, but shit that we do every day in our jobs. Now call me old fashioned, but surely if I were unable to do the job, it would have been picked up by now. But the training team feel they have to justify their jobs, so we get to do a stupid training exercise.
Every single day there is some new rule and regulation that we have to adhere to, and I was chatting about it with a colleague who said to me "well, at least we have a job". This is exactly what they want us to think. So we will carry on bending over further and further, whilst they continue taking the piss, and not rock the boat. I am fed up with being treated like a production line. I am a human being. I may have issues, but I do have feelings.
The time has come. It isn't just work, it's life in general. We are being shafted, people, and it is time to start the revolution. I don't know how, but I am the revolution, and I want my fucking life back.
Friday 28 May 2010
Why the NHS hates me
I am so sorry I have been silent for so long. I had all great plans of ensuring I posted every day - or at least Monday to Thursday whilst I am pretending to work! However, my health and I haven't been the best of friends recently. Or should that be for a long time?
I have been suffering (on top of the usual crap) with double vision in one eye, total light sensitivity in that very same eye, a killer of a headache in that very same eye (the sort where you feel there is a drumming competition going on inside your skull, and you weren't given any kind of notice!) as well as a pain down that side of my neck.
This went on for about a week, when The Mentalist decided that I should go and see a doctor, as summat clearly wasn't right. So off we toddle, and I tell her my symptoms. She sends me straight to A&E (at the hospital where I had vowed never to set foot again - I should have listened!). We drive straight to the hospital where we manage to jump all the queues and get seen by the A&E doctor. Who decides that I need to be admitted. By this time it was about 8 pm in the evening (nothing ever goes quickly with the NHS).
The Mentalist and I were shipped off to a ward, where I was to have a private room (result), so had a quick chat with the nurse, and told her we would just have to go and get some food. As we hadn't anticipated either going to hospital or being admitted, we had no bags or anything, but I didn't worry, as the room had been allocated to me, right? Wrong. By the time we got back (15 minutes later) there was someone else in the room, and they had no idea which of us was to stay and which of us was to be moved to a different ward. Guess who picked the lucky straw?????
So I end up on one of the wards that I had been in the last time (when I vowed never to return, remember). Which was fine, only I was in a room of 6, the other 5 were 90 if they were a day, had incontinence problems (the smell of three different kinds of pooh really isn't all that appealing, let me tell you!) and to top of a really spectacular day, the woman in the bed next to me spent the entire fucking night asking Jesus Christ why he was picking on her. It's probably a good job I smoke, or that woman could have asked Jesus Christ face to face.
The next day I have to hang around waiting for my "consultant". I am lying on my bed, with a pillow over my head to block out the light, and my hands lying across my tummy (so the canular that I have spent all night nursing with great care is in full sight!). The consultant and his minions come to my bed, and draw the curtains round for "privacy". He shakes hands with me (squeezing said canular quite painfully), and asks me what is wrong. I knew the twat hadn't read my notes, so I explained the entire situation to him, ending with the statement "and I just can't cope with the extra pain". All the idiot hears is that I can't cope, so tells me that I need to see a psychiatrist. I hasten to add that I have seen two this year alone. It is not psychosomatic, and yes, I may sometimes be a bit down (ok, a lot) but to me that is not really a diagnosis. He then starts interrogating me on why I am on two crutches. We have a blazing row, he leaves, and I go outside for a smoke, a cry, and a call to the Mentalist.
The Mentalist then comes down to the hospital, and pages the idiot who calls himself a consultant. When he deigns to appear, The Mentalist and he have a very dignified discussion (read argument) which ends with The Mentalist saying that we would be leaving today. The consultant says that would be going against medical advice, to which we pointed out that he hadn't actually given me any medical advice, just been a complete prick.
We went home, and I spent the weekend feeling sorry for myself again. Do you sense a theme? For anyone who suffers any kind of ongoing illness, Pity Parties for One occur quite frequently.
Fast forward to Tuesday, and I receive a very polite letter from the hospital requesting that I go down and have an MRI. Now either the Consultant is just covering his back, or he has in fact now read my notes. Either which, at least we are taking a step forward. My pessimistic internal monologue keeps saying that it will lead to two steps back, but I ain't having any of it!
So I shall keep you posted.
Am going Oop North this weekend, to visit The Mentalist's brother. Which means chip butties, walks (or not) along very beautiful but freezing cold beaches, and getting the fuck out of London. Hopefully I will come back with a more positive outlook, or at least a not giving a fuck when it comes to work, so using my time here usefully to post!
Have a great weekend.
I have been suffering (on top of the usual crap) with double vision in one eye, total light sensitivity in that very same eye, a killer of a headache in that very same eye (the sort where you feel there is a drumming competition going on inside your skull, and you weren't given any kind of notice!) as well as a pain down that side of my neck.
This went on for about a week, when The Mentalist decided that I should go and see a doctor, as summat clearly wasn't right. So off we toddle, and I tell her my symptoms. She sends me straight to A&E (at the hospital where I had vowed never to set foot again - I should have listened!). We drive straight to the hospital where we manage to jump all the queues and get seen by the A&E doctor. Who decides that I need to be admitted. By this time it was about 8 pm in the evening (nothing ever goes quickly with the NHS).
The Mentalist and I were shipped off to a ward, where I was to have a private room (result), so had a quick chat with the nurse, and told her we would just have to go and get some food. As we hadn't anticipated either going to hospital or being admitted, we had no bags or anything, but I didn't worry, as the room had been allocated to me, right? Wrong. By the time we got back (15 minutes later) there was someone else in the room, and they had no idea which of us was to stay and which of us was to be moved to a different ward. Guess who picked the lucky straw?????
So I end up on one of the wards that I had been in the last time (when I vowed never to return, remember). Which was fine, only I was in a room of 6, the other 5 were 90 if they were a day, had incontinence problems (the smell of three different kinds of pooh really isn't all that appealing, let me tell you!) and to top of a really spectacular day, the woman in the bed next to me spent the entire fucking night asking Jesus Christ why he was picking on her. It's probably a good job I smoke, or that woman could have asked Jesus Christ face to face.
The next day I have to hang around waiting for my "consultant". I am lying on my bed, with a pillow over my head to block out the light, and my hands lying across my tummy (so the canular that I have spent all night nursing with great care is in full sight!). The consultant and his minions come to my bed, and draw the curtains round for "privacy". He shakes hands with me (squeezing said canular quite painfully), and asks me what is wrong. I knew the twat hadn't read my notes, so I explained the entire situation to him, ending with the statement "and I just can't cope with the extra pain". All the idiot hears is that I can't cope, so tells me that I need to see a psychiatrist. I hasten to add that I have seen two this year alone. It is not psychosomatic, and yes, I may sometimes be a bit down (ok, a lot) but to me that is not really a diagnosis. He then starts interrogating me on why I am on two crutches. We have a blazing row, he leaves, and I go outside for a smoke, a cry, and a call to the Mentalist.
The Mentalist then comes down to the hospital, and pages the idiot who calls himself a consultant. When he deigns to appear, The Mentalist and he have a very dignified discussion (read argument) which ends with The Mentalist saying that we would be leaving today. The consultant says that would be going against medical advice, to which we pointed out that he hadn't actually given me any medical advice, just been a complete prick.
We went home, and I spent the weekend feeling sorry for myself again. Do you sense a theme? For anyone who suffers any kind of ongoing illness, Pity Parties for One occur quite frequently.
Fast forward to Tuesday, and I receive a very polite letter from the hospital requesting that I go down and have an MRI. Now either the Consultant is just covering his back, or he has in fact now read my notes. Either which, at least we are taking a step forward. My pessimistic internal monologue keeps saying that it will lead to two steps back, but I ain't having any of it!
So I shall keep you posted.
Am going Oop North this weekend, to visit The Mentalist's brother. Which means chip butties, walks (or not) along very beautiful but freezing cold beaches, and getting the fuck out of London. Hopefully I will come back with a more positive outlook, or at least a not giving a fuck when it comes to work, so using my time here usefully to post!
Have a great weekend.
Tuesday 18 May 2010
Another day, another pile of...
Monday's are always the pits. Not just for me, for everyone I should imagine. Unless you start work on Tuesday, in which case you suck, but I imagine you hate Tuesdays!
Had a doctor's appointment this morning. Which is always 1 part entertaintaing, 12 gajillion parts frustrating as fuck. The whole reason we went is because I appear to be getting worse. I assure you, I am not making any of my pain up just to get meds (and if I were, surely after three years they would wake up and smell the fucking coffee - I could order meds from India that would be cheaper than the NHS, and I wouldn't have to have the same fucking conversation with my GP every 10 days!)
So we went in (I no longer go in and see the doctor without The Mentalist. What's the point in having a doberman if you just don't use it?) to see the young doctor first thing this morning. There is a supposed pain specialist at my surgery, but she has the compassion of a rock. No, worse than that. She has the compassion of a surgeon. As a result, I won't see her.
We went in, armed with a list of what has been getting worse, and where, and as per usual, they just don't listen. I told him that my headaches are getting worse along with my light sensitivity, my centre of gravity is non existant, my skin pain is almost unbearable, that I have been throwing up, and that I would like a sick note so I don't have to go into the office. So I ended up with tablets that should not be used if you have the sort of headache I have, and the advice to check out alternative medicine. So massage - which is grand if you have skin pain. It's just what you crave when your skin is hurting so bad you are tempted to slice it off yourself. Or the other great alternative for those in pain - accupuncture. Again, see my reasons why this is such a fucked up idea earlier.
And as for the sick note. In the UK we no longer get sick notes. We get notes stating what we are able to do. Which is just pathetic. So here I am. At work. Getting more and more stressed. Feeling more and more pain. And working out the best way to get the hell out of dodge!
Anyone up for a commune in Argentina, drop me a line. Don't worry, the only plan is to grow wine. So then we can all get drunk and forget about the bollocks that is real life.
Am sorry for being negative. Am sorry for being down. Am just in the midst of a pity party for one. And y'all are invited on the promise you bring booze. Or drugs. Or AK47s!
Tomorrow, my pretties, I will be happier. And if not, you can custard pie me - although that offer does not apply to The Mentalist or Tiggi.
Had a doctor's appointment this morning. Which is always 1 part entertaintaing, 12 gajillion parts frustrating as fuck. The whole reason we went is because I appear to be getting worse. I assure you, I am not making any of my pain up just to get meds (and if I were, surely after three years they would wake up and smell the fucking coffee - I could order meds from India that would be cheaper than the NHS, and I wouldn't have to have the same fucking conversation with my GP every 10 days!)
So we went in (I no longer go in and see the doctor without The Mentalist. What's the point in having a doberman if you just don't use it?) to see the young doctor first thing this morning. There is a supposed pain specialist at my surgery, but she has the compassion of a rock. No, worse than that. She has the compassion of a surgeon. As a result, I won't see her.
We went in, armed with a list of what has been getting worse, and where, and as per usual, they just don't listen. I told him that my headaches are getting worse along with my light sensitivity, my centre of gravity is non existant, my skin pain is almost unbearable, that I have been throwing up, and that I would like a sick note so I don't have to go into the office. So I ended up with tablets that should not be used if you have the sort of headache I have, and the advice to check out alternative medicine. So massage - which is grand if you have skin pain. It's just what you crave when your skin is hurting so bad you are tempted to slice it off yourself. Or the other great alternative for those in pain - accupuncture. Again, see my reasons why this is such a fucked up idea earlier.
And as for the sick note. In the UK we no longer get sick notes. We get notes stating what we are able to do. Which is just pathetic. So here I am. At work. Getting more and more stressed. Feeling more and more pain. And working out the best way to get the hell out of dodge!
Anyone up for a commune in Argentina, drop me a line. Don't worry, the only plan is to grow wine. So then we can all get drunk and forget about the bollocks that is real life.
Am sorry for being negative. Am sorry for being down. Am just in the midst of a pity party for one. And y'all are invited on the promise you bring booze. Or drugs. Or AK47s!
Tomorrow, my pretties, I will be happier. And if not, you can custard pie me - although that offer does not apply to The Mentalist or Tiggi.
Friday 14 May 2010
Back from the wild
And I am sure you are all extremely excited to hear how my past two and a half weeks of being a stroppy teenager have been, so I shall leave you in suspenders no longer!
Before I begin, I would just like to tell anyone that is planning on ever flying South African Airways not to bother, as they are possibly the worst airline I have ever flown with, and I shall never fly with them again!
So, to begin. We finally managed to fly out a week later than anticipated. The journey out was horrendous, but we did finally make it to sunny Africa! Although it wasn't even slightly sunny. We landed in Botswana in the middle of a torrential storm that ended up lasting for 5 days (and to hear the locals speak, they had never known weather like it this close to winter!). The fun started when the plane landed, as there was no lift for me to use to get off the plane, so I had to climb down the stairs in the rain, clinging on for dear life! Still, we had finally arrived, and once we had completed the comedy that is African immigration procedure and collected our bags, it was time to stagger through the only working door (being Africa, it was a shock there was at least one!) to the open arms of my ma.
Going back to Botswana is never really a holiday. It isn't quite a chore, but there are times when it feels like it could/will be. It is always great to go home to see the olds, but on the flip side, I do feel that I have regressed a number of years.
We spent most of the first week huddled up on the sofa, as it was the wettest week they have ever seen, as people were very keen to point out to The Mentalist. We did, however, go on safari over night to a private game reserve just over the boarder in South Africa - I will put a few photos up later on, so you can see some of the wildlife we saw.
The last week and a half was spent sitting on the Veranda, drinking Lemon Twist, and just generally relaxing. It was nice to spend time with some friends and their two little girls. To most of you, it might seem that I am getting broody, expecially if you see some of the pictures. I am not. Or at least I don't think I am. It was just nice to be in the company of children that didn't scream, were perfectly content just to hang out and didn't need to be entertained, and were just generally very cute. I guess you could say that I am broody only if I can be guaranteed to have children just like that!
Still, I am back from the wild. It is brilliant to be in a place where there is fast internet, but not so great to be back in England (which is a hole), and work (which is worse!). Which means that I shall now be able to much more frequent posting, which is good, as I have a whole lot of things to regale (read bore!) y'all with.
Before I begin, I would just like to tell anyone that is planning on ever flying South African Airways not to bother, as they are possibly the worst airline I have ever flown with, and I shall never fly with them again!
So, to begin. We finally managed to fly out a week later than anticipated. The journey out was horrendous, but we did finally make it to sunny Africa! Although it wasn't even slightly sunny. We landed in Botswana in the middle of a torrential storm that ended up lasting for 5 days (and to hear the locals speak, they had never known weather like it this close to winter!). The fun started when the plane landed, as there was no lift for me to use to get off the plane, so I had to climb down the stairs in the rain, clinging on for dear life! Still, we had finally arrived, and once we had completed the comedy that is African immigration procedure and collected our bags, it was time to stagger through the only working door (being Africa, it was a shock there was at least one!) to the open arms of my ma.
Going back to Botswana is never really a holiday. It isn't quite a chore, but there are times when it feels like it could/will be. It is always great to go home to see the olds, but on the flip side, I do feel that I have regressed a number of years.
We spent most of the first week huddled up on the sofa, as it was the wettest week they have ever seen, as people were very keen to point out to The Mentalist. We did, however, go on safari over night to a private game reserve just over the boarder in South Africa - I will put a few photos up later on, so you can see some of the wildlife we saw.
The last week and a half was spent sitting on the Veranda, drinking Lemon Twist, and just generally relaxing. It was nice to spend time with some friends and their two little girls. To most of you, it might seem that I am getting broody, expecially if you see some of the pictures. I am not. Or at least I don't think I am. It was just nice to be in the company of children that didn't scream, were perfectly content just to hang out and didn't need to be entertained, and were just generally very cute. I guess you could say that I am broody only if I can be guaranteed to have children just like that!
Still, I am back from the wild. It is brilliant to be in a place where there is fast internet, but not so great to be back in England (which is a hole), and work (which is worse!). Which means that I shall now be able to much more frequent posting, which is good, as I have a whole lot of things to regale (read bore!) y'all with.
Friday 23 April 2010
Am off to deepest, darkest Africa
So won't be posting for a while. That's if the flight actually goes!
Am going "home" to see the olds. It has been a while, and that while was made even longer by that stupid volcano! Still, acts of God aside, The Mentalist and I are going.
Two and a half weeks of sitting on the Veranda doing sweet FA. Life can't get better, except for winning the lottery whilst we are away!
If I get anywhere near a place that actually has internet access, I shall post on how wonderful it is, so y'all can get jealous!
On the flip side, it will be two and a half weeks with the olds, who still think I am 15. And the pathetic thing is that I revert to behaving that age! All sulks and temper tantrums - which will have less effect if it takes me 10 minutes just to get down on to the floor, in order to kick and scream. The kicking thing really won't be a problem, tho, as my leg muscles spasm so badly, it will just look as though I am doing it on purpose!
So I hope you all have a fantastic two and a half weeks. I shall miss checking up on you! Don't do anything too exciting whilst I am gone, kay?
Love!
Am going "home" to see the olds. It has been a while, and that while was made even longer by that stupid volcano! Still, acts of God aside, The Mentalist and I are going.
Two and a half weeks of sitting on the Veranda doing sweet FA. Life can't get better, except for winning the lottery whilst we are away!
If I get anywhere near a place that actually has internet access, I shall post on how wonderful it is, so y'all can get jealous!
On the flip side, it will be two and a half weeks with the olds, who still think I am 15. And the pathetic thing is that I revert to behaving that age! All sulks and temper tantrums - which will have less effect if it takes me 10 minutes just to get down on to the floor, in order to kick and scream. The kicking thing really won't be a problem, tho, as my leg muscles spasm so badly, it will just look as though I am doing it on purpose!
So I hope you all have a fantastic two and a half weeks. I shall miss checking up on you! Don't do anything too exciting whilst I am gone, kay?
Love!
Thursday 22 April 2010
Band of the week - part 2 - Killlswitch Engage
I have chosen Killswitch Engage for my band of the week this week (as opposed to James, who were my catch up for last week!) for a number of reasons. I really started listening to KSE in around 2002, just after they released their album Alive or Just Breathing, but I heard it with the original singer Jesse Leach, who quit the band before they got really big. Howard Jones is now the singer, and I actually think he does a great deal more for the band than Leach.
KSE is metal, there is no two ways about it, but somehow I find their music quite uplifting. It does, however, promote serious headbanging whilst driving if you happen to listen to it!
I have seen KSE live quite a few times. Sometimes as part of a festival, and others where they have been touring. Their stage presence is great, and they really do get the audience going. They are very electric live, hence the reason I am promoting them. Even if you don't like metal, I do think you should have a little listen, and see what you think. Their music is quite diverse, so you do have to follow the four song rule ... you cannot decide you don't like them until you have listened to at least four songs!
If you are going to listen to them, please can I suggest you try out When Darkness Falls as your first track?
KSE is metal, there is no two ways about it, but somehow I find their music quite uplifting. It does, however, promote serious headbanging whilst driving if you happen to listen to it!
I have seen KSE live quite a few times. Sometimes as part of a festival, and others where they have been touring. Their stage presence is great, and they really do get the audience going. They are very electric live, hence the reason I am promoting them. Even if you don't like metal, I do think you should have a little listen, and see what you think. Their music is quite diverse, so you do have to follow the four song rule ... you cannot decide you don't like them until you have listened to at least four songs!
If you are going to listen to them, please can I suggest you try out When Darkness Falls as your first track?
Wednesday 21 April 2010
I have a new butler
The Mentalist has been sacked. Or at least he thinks he has. He went to work last week - admittedly not on Monday, as he had to take me to the doctors (I won't go alone, as they just don't take me seriously. He is a great attack man!). So on Thursday, which was supposed to be his last day before our holiday, his "manager" told him that he wasn't being for the week, and could he get the keys to the office back. To which The Mentalist asked if he had been sacked! His manager hadn't quite worked that one out, but it comes as no surprise to me that the owner of the company would stoop so low. And the arse still hasn't phoned The Mentalist to tell him anything, and we are now on day 6! So we are assuming he has no job.
I am hoping so, as it means I currently have a new butler.
Having a butler is great. I get a lift into work every evening, and a lift home every morning. I must say that the lift home in the morning is wonderful, as I don't have to walk to the car, trying to bypass bankers that are far too important for their own good, and drivers who think that a red light is not applicable to them. Unfortunately, being on double crutches, I am unable to move very quickly, or turn very well, so the walk generally ends up being more stressful than the night's work.
Speaking of which, the only reason I am able to write so much tonight is that I have managed to score myself a very easy powerpoint conversion job, which is supposed to take 12 hours, but will, in all honesty, only take about 6, so I thought I would do my spew and get it out of the way!
So, back to the butler. At the moment, he will be sleeping, but very shortly I will give him a call, so he can get up to come and collect me. Then, when I get home, I shall order breakfast, which will be served to me on a silver platter. Whilst I do my ablutions, my bed (aka the couch) will be straightened, with pillows and duvet fluffed, so that when I am ready for sleep, I can just clamber in.
When I awake, I shall clap my hands, and the butler will bring me things. I dream of coffee, but due to stomach pains, just can't take it at the moment. Still, he can at least go out whilst I am pretending to sleep, and get me nice apple juice!
A little bit later, when I clap my hands again, the butler will then bring me dinner, with a nice drink and crushed ice.
Later still, upon my command, he will drive me to work.
And then I woke up! I am only dreaming that these things will happen.
Still, he does now have to go out and buy a suit (hahahahahahahahaha) so that he can be at least slightly presentable for interviews.
Hopefully someone will realise his worth, and I shall never have to work again!
And that is me done for the night. May well do a band of the week tomorrow, just so that my faithfuls don't feel hard done by!
Nighty night.
I am hoping so, as it means I currently have a new butler.
Having a butler is great. I get a lift into work every evening, and a lift home every morning. I must say that the lift home in the morning is wonderful, as I don't have to walk to the car, trying to bypass bankers that are far too important for their own good, and drivers who think that a red light is not applicable to them. Unfortunately, being on double crutches, I am unable to move very quickly, or turn very well, so the walk generally ends up being more stressful than the night's work.
Speaking of which, the only reason I am able to write so much tonight is that I have managed to score myself a very easy powerpoint conversion job, which is supposed to take 12 hours, but will, in all honesty, only take about 6, so I thought I would do my spew and get it out of the way!
So, back to the butler. At the moment, he will be sleeping, but very shortly I will give him a call, so he can get up to come and collect me. Then, when I get home, I shall order breakfast, which will be served to me on a silver platter. Whilst I do my ablutions, my bed (aka the couch) will be straightened, with pillows and duvet fluffed, so that when I am ready for sleep, I can just clamber in.
When I awake, I shall clap my hands, and the butler will bring me things. I dream of coffee, but due to stomach pains, just can't take it at the moment. Still, he can at least go out whilst I am pretending to sleep, and get me nice apple juice!
A little bit later, when I clap my hands again, the butler will then bring me dinner, with a nice drink and crushed ice.
Later still, upon my command, he will drive me to work.
And then I woke up! I am only dreaming that these things will happen.
Still, he does now have to go out and buy a suit (hahahahahahahahaha) so that he can be at least slightly presentable for interviews.
Hopefully someone will realise his worth, and I shall never have to work again!
And that is me done for the night. May well do a band of the week tomorrow, just so that my faithfuls don't feel hard done by!
Nighty night.
Band of the week ... James
My first band of the week is going to be James. I have chosen them because they were one of the first ever bands I went to see. I saw them play a gig in Leeds in 1990, in a very small student union bar, and they were brilliant.
They are a bit of an odd band for me, as I don't normally have a great deal of time for English bands of the late '80's, early '90's. I have always had a preference for American bands, so for those of you that know me, this is probably going to be a shock choice!
James are a band from Manchester who were formed in the early 80's, but didn't actually make it big until the early 90's. I can understand why, as quite a lot of their early stuff is quite dire in my opinion. I think that I was just too young to get it!
The reason I like James is because every time I hear one of their songs, I am instantly transported back to that particular point in time. I know that this is one of the great things about music. But somehow, this band more than almost any, make me close my eyes, and picture the night that I saw them live.
I could probably draw you a picture (if I was in anyway artistic!!!) of the entire venue, of how many people were there, of the mad early '90's English dodgy dancing that went on. But I won't. I will just ask you to have a listen to either album of Seven or Laid, and tell me you can't picture what I have in my head. I bet you too could imagine the scene of 20 quite drunk uni students wailing along and throwing their arms around their heads to a beat of a different drum!
Happy music, all the way. Go listen to the song "Sit Down", and whilst you are doing so, dance around the room with reckless abandon, and let me know if it cheered your day up. If nothing else, it will give the neighbours something to talk about!
They are a bit of an odd band for me, as I don't normally have a great deal of time for English bands of the late '80's, early '90's. I have always had a preference for American bands, so for those of you that know me, this is probably going to be a shock choice!
James are a band from Manchester who were formed in the early 80's, but didn't actually make it big until the early 90's. I can understand why, as quite a lot of their early stuff is quite dire in my opinion. I think that I was just too young to get it!
The reason I like James is because every time I hear one of their songs, I am instantly transported back to that particular point in time. I know that this is one of the great things about music. But somehow, this band more than almost any, make me close my eyes, and picture the night that I saw them live.
I could probably draw you a picture (if I was in anyway artistic!!!) of the entire venue, of how many people were there, of the mad early '90's English dodgy dancing that went on. But I won't. I will just ask you to have a listen to either album of Seven or Laid, and tell me you can't picture what I have in my head. I bet you too could imagine the scene of 20 quite drunk uni students wailing along and throwing their arms around their heads to a beat of a different drum!
Happy music, all the way. Go listen to the song "Sit Down", and whilst you are doing so, dance around the room with reckless abandon, and let me know if it cheered your day up. If nothing else, it will give the neighbours something to talk about!
Not dead...
To all my faithful readers, I wish to apologise for my complete lack of posting for the last forever. What can I say except I let pain be the manager in my life, rather than me managing pain. It's a pathetic and sorry excuse, but if you ask The Mentalist and Tigga, they will tell you that I have actually been hell to live with.
I won't bore y'all with the details, because to be honest, they aren't particularly pleasant, and by reading about it, I will be taking up time in your life that you won't get back. And for no good reason.
But I am back. For a wee while. Until the pain decides to take over.
I spent the last week lying on the sofa having a pity party for one, and whilst I could have blogged, somehow I just didn't manage to get the energy, or the inspiration to do so. Which means that tonight I may well spew endlessly (so much for not taking up time you won't get back!)
With great fanfare, the Roskilde poster was released last week, which was quite exciting. There were a couple of big announcements - some good, some not so good. Really, really, really excited by Prodigy and Pendulum, not so keen on Prince. But it should be good, no matter what.
For Soccermom, the band that I would recommend listening to from the line up that I listed the last time I posted, if you haven't already heard them, is Kasabian. Their first album blew me away, and they are one of the most amazing bands live. You will have heard their stuff, as I am sure it is used on the soundtrack for some of the CSI programmes. But give them a listen, and let me know what you think. I will, however, be sending you pictures from the Alice in Chains part of the Roskilde festival ... if you are really lucky, there may even be video!
Had last week off work, which was lovely. Am now back, even though I am supposed to be in Africa this week. Was going home to see the folks, but due to that damn volcano, am going nowhere fast. We are hopeful to have lift off this Friday, which means at least two whole weeks without posting. Which really irritates me, as I want to ensure I post more regularly. The problem is that my folks are still on dial up. Can you remember dial up? With a 56k modem? And they happen to be on a radio phone, which means any time there is any wind within a 2 bajillion mile radius, the line goes down. But I suppose I can spend the time planning what to bore y'all with next!
Fate is a funny lady, though. I wasn't really all that excited about going out to see the folks in the run up to last Friday. I knew that the journey was going to be a nightmare, considering the huge amount of pain I was in, so Fate decided to make the volcano happen. Which was good on so many levels, as it has meant I have managed to get a few last minute bits and pieces, as well as try to get my pain under control.
The bits and pieces part of the plan is going well. The pain management part isn't. Again, dull, dull, dull.
Hopefully, as I said before, we get to fly this Friday. Which is so brilliant, as I cannot wait to see my dad. I haven't seen him since February last year, and I miss him. I really am daddy's girl! The other bonus about having to move the holiday dates, is that due to there being no seats in the class we had originally booked in for our preferred dated for the return journey, we have to stay out there for a day longer. I don't think that The Mentalist is totally cool with that (not that he doesn't love the meat, the beer, and sitting on the porch doing nothing, but an extra day with the not really outlaws?????)
I am going to end this here, as I do want to do the band of the week. I might even do two, as I was so slack last week!
Hope everyone is well, and forgives me for my lack of discipline. I do still love you all. Just not so happy with me!
I won't bore y'all with the details, because to be honest, they aren't particularly pleasant, and by reading about it, I will be taking up time in your life that you won't get back. And for no good reason.
But I am back. For a wee while. Until the pain decides to take over.
I spent the last week lying on the sofa having a pity party for one, and whilst I could have blogged, somehow I just didn't manage to get the energy, or the inspiration to do so. Which means that tonight I may well spew endlessly (so much for not taking up time you won't get back!)
With great fanfare, the Roskilde poster was released last week, which was quite exciting. There were a couple of big announcements - some good, some not so good. Really, really, really excited by Prodigy and Pendulum, not so keen on Prince. But it should be good, no matter what.
For Soccermom, the band that I would recommend listening to from the line up that I listed the last time I posted, if you haven't already heard them, is Kasabian. Their first album blew me away, and they are one of the most amazing bands live. You will have heard their stuff, as I am sure it is used on the soundtrack for some of the CSI programmes. But give them a listen, and let me know what you think. I will, however, be sending you pictures from the Alice in Chains part of the Roskilde festival ... if you are really lucky, there may even be video!
Had last week off work, which was lovely. Am now back, even though I am supposed to be in Africa this week. Was going home to see the folks, but due to that damn volcano, am going nowhere fast. We are hopeful to have lift off this Friday, which means at least two whole weeks without posting. Which really irritates me, as I want to ensure I post more regularly. The problem is that my folks are still on dial up. Can you remember dial up? With a 56k modem? And they happen to be on a radio phone, which means any time there is any wind within a 2 bajillion mile radius, the line goes down. But I suppose I can spend the time planning what to bore y'all with next!
Fate is a funny lady, though. I wasn't really all that excited about going out to see the folks in the run up to last Friday. I knew that the journey was going to be a nightmare, considering the huge amount of pain I was in, so Fate decided to make the volcano happen. Which was good on so many levels, as it has meant I have managed to get a few last minute bits and pieces, as well as try to get my pain under control.
The bits and pieces part of the plan is going well. The pain management part isn't. Again, dull, dull, dull.
Hopefully, as I said before, we get to fly this Friday. Which is so brilliant, as I cannot wait to see my dad. I haven't seen him since February last year, and I miss him. I really am daddy's girl! The other bonus about having to move the holiday dates, is that due to there being no seats in the class we had originally booked in for our preferred dated for the return journey, we have to stay out there for a day longer. I don't think that The Mentalist is totally cool with that (not that he doesn't love the meat, the beer, and sitting on the porch doing nothing, but an extra day with the not really outlaws?????)
I am going to end this here, as I do want to do the band of the week. I might even do two, as I was so slack last week!
Hope everyone is well, and forgives me for my lack of discipline. I do still love you all. Just not so happy with me!
Friday 9 April 2010
Roskilde band list - and what it means to me!
I am listing below the Roskilde band list as it stands. I have highlighted those that are of interest. This is going to seem like a long post, but there isn't a great deal of reading!
AFENGINN (Danish)
Scandinavia’s next big ethno-punk orchestra.
Not particularly bothered by this, but if there is nothing else on, guess I can give it a go!
ALICE IN CHAINS (US)
The heaviest lads of grunge rock.
Am super, super excited to see these guys.
BEACH HOUSE (US)
Rich dream pop.
Don't really know them, but I can give a whirl if I happen to walk past.
BLACKIE AND THE RODEO KINGS (Canada)
Old-school roots rock.
Definitely going to give this lot a go!
BOBAN I MARKO MARKOVIC ORKESTAR (Serbia)
Two generations of Balkan madness.
Take it or leave it really
BROTHER ALI (US)
Socially conscious hip hop with a dark brown soul flavour.
Am not a hip hop girl, so will definitely steer clear of this lot!
CASIOKIDS (N)
Peculiar electronic pop.
Nope. Not at all.
CÉU (BRA)
Samba sounds from 21st century São Paolo.
Brazilians are always good for a laugh, but dancing with two crutches can't be the way forward, so possibly.
CHIMES & BELLS (DK)
Dark art-rock.
Yes please!
CHOC QUIB TOWN (COL)
Funky and political Latin hip hop.
Hip hop again - thanks, but no.
CIRCLE (FIN)
Genre-disowning heavy metal.
Possibly. There is always the opportunity to see naked Finnish people, which is a win in my book!
CONVERGE (US)
Scorching hardcore metal.
Can I get a hell yeah?
DIRTY PROJECTORS (US)
Arty and rewarding indie rock for the adventurous.
And another hell yeah?
DIZZY MIZZ LIZZY (DK)
Danish 90s rock heroes are back.
Maybe, if there is nothing else on.
DULSORI (KOR)
Ecstatic drumming from the ancient East.
Probably not.
EFTERKLANG (DK)
Organic experimental pop.
Am always told to see this lot, but never make it. Maybe this year.
ELECTROJUICE (DK)
Young electro duo.
Doubt it - not a fan of electro!
FALLULAH (DK)
Ambitious pop with tremendous power.
Nope.
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE (UK)
Soulful indie pop.
Hell fcuking no. I cannot stand this woman.
FM BELFAST (ISL)
Electronic music for the nightlife.
Maybe. We shall see.
GALLOWS (UK)
Gruff hardcore punk.
Yes please
GHOST SOCIETY (DK)
Melodic noise rock.
One of those words in the description doesn't fit - Melodic with noise? I don't think so!
GORILLAZ (UK)
Virtual, electronic pop giants.
Got to, got to, got to. If only for the stage show.
HEALTH (US)
Charged noise punk.
Hell yeah
JAPANDROIDS (CAN)
Girl-fixated noise pop.
Hell no
JACK JOHNSON (US)
Groovy and laid-back singer-songwriter.
Only if I can throw things at him. Heavy things. That might shut him up.
CV JØRGENSEN (DK)
Praised Danish singer and poet.
Doubt it.
KASABIAN (UK)
British rock with creative growing pains.
Seen these guys lots of times, and they always rock - so most definitely!
KASPER SPEZ (DK)
True-to-life bohemian hip hop.
Hip hop again - it's almost as though Roskilde don't want me there!
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE (US)
Melodic metalcore.
Love, love, love these guys. And they are phenomenal live
THE KISSAWAY TRAIL (DK)
Ambitious and dreamy indie rock.
Could be ok, but not too sure about the dreamy part of the description!
BASSEKOU KOUYATE & NGONI BA (MALI)
Desert blues with Western elements of rock and jazz.
Doubt it, because I find jazz ponderous.
LINDSTRØM & CHRISTABELLE (N)
Synthetic and ultra-cool disco-pop.
No thanks.
FREJA LOEB (DK)
Sexy and glittering 80s pop.
And again, no thanks.
MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND (MEX)
A Mexican-United States border party.
Think the sound could be ok, and if all else fails, at least there will be tequila!
MOTÖRHEAD (UK)
Classic, bad-to-the-bone rock’n’roll.
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. You could not pay me enough to see this boring band again. Lemmy should just give it up. If there is a god, and he does love me, Lemmy will die on stage at the festival!
MUSE (UK)
Grand stadium rock for the space age.
Nope. They are just dull. And have no stage presence. And I would rather have Placebo!
MY EVIL TWIN (DK)
Electronic pop filled with sweetness and sighs of the heart.
God no.
NEPHEW (DK)
Socially critical electro rock.
Possibly
JOHN OLAV NILSEN & GJENGEN (N)
Life-affirming rock from the rainy city of Bergen.
Maybe
NOFX (US)
Melodic and witty skate punk.
Yup, yup, yup, yup, yuppers! Love these guys. And they are great live!
ORCHESTRE POLY-RYTHMO DE COTONOU (BEN)
Mythical voodoo funk.
Maybe
PAVEMENT (US)
The slacker icons are back.
Shit yeah
PORCUPINE TREE (UK)
Progressive dark rock.
I think so
RISING (DK)
Metallic, strong-on-riffs hard rock.
Strong possibility
ROBYN (S)
Sweden's alternative pop queen.
I just have nightmares of ABBA, so no.
THE RUMOUR SAID FIRE (DK)
Full-fledged folk-pop.
Not a fan of folk music.
SCHLACHTHOFBRONX (DE)
German ghetto-tech aiming at the dance floor.
Nope
SERENA-MANEESH (N)
Titanic noise rock from the cold North.
Nope
SHANTEL & BUCOVINA CLUB ORKESTAR (DE)
Leader of Balkan pop.
Nope
SLEEP PARTY PEOPLE (DK)
Atmospheric and disturbing angst pop.
Doubt it, but may be convinced!
SÓLSTAFIR (ISL)
Symphonic, ice-cold post-metal.
Sure, could be fun
TECH N9NE (US)
Quivering hip hop from virtuoso gift of gab.
Hip hop again. Starting to feel unwanted and unloved!
THE TEMPER TRAP (AUS)
Stellar and epic pop rock.
God no. I have far better things to do with my time. Like stand in the queue for the toilet!
THEE ATTACKS (DK)
Uncomplicated 60s rock.
Maybe
THEM CROOKED VULTURES (US/UK)
Supergroup to the highest rock degree.
Am in two minds. Adore Josh Homme, but cannot stand the man who shall not be named, from his band which shall not be named. But at least he will be the drummer, so there is a good chance I won't see him. Will have to see if it doesn't clash with something I want to see!
VALIENT THORR (US)
Hardworking heavy rockers.
Definitely
WILD BEASTS (UK)
Impressionistic, bohemian indie.
Possibly
WOODEN SHJIPS (US)
Psychedelic trance rock.
Possibly
And that is the band list as it stands now. As and when new stuff gets announced, I shall keep you all posted!
And it is almost the weekend! Which is great news. As The Mentalist has promised me shoes!
AFENGINN (Danish)
Scandinavia’s next big ethno-punk orchestra.
Not particularly bothered by this, but if there is nothing else on, guess I can give it a go!
ALICE IN CHAINS (US)
The heaviest lads of grunge rock.
Am super, super excited to see these guys.
BEACH HOUSE (US)
Rich dream pop.
Don't really know them, but I can give a whirl if I happen to walk past.
BLACKIE AND THE RODEO KINGS (Canada)
Old-school roots rock.
Definitely going to give this lot a go!
BOBAN I MARKO MARKOVIC ORKESTAR (Serbia)
Two generations of Balkan madness.
Take it or leave it really
BROTHER ALI (US)
Socially conscious hip hop with a dark brown soul flavour.
Am not a hip hop girl, so will definitely steer clear of this lot!
CASIOKIDS (N)
Peculiar electronic pop.
Nope. Not at all.
CÉU (BRA)
Samba sounds from 21st century São Paolo.
Brazilians are always good for a laugh, but dancing with two crutches can't be the way forward, so possibly.
CHIMES & BELLS (DK)
Dark art-rock.
Yes please!
CHOC QUIB TOWN (COL)
Funky and political Latin hip hop.
Hip hop again - thanks, but no.
CIRCLE (FIN)
Genre-disowning heavy metal.
Possibly. There is always the opportunity to see naked Finnish people, which is a win in my book!
CONVERGE (US)
Scorching hardcore metal.
Can I get a hell yeah?
DIRTY PROJECTORS (US)
Arty and rewarding indie rock for the adventurous.
And another hell yeah?
DIZZY MIZZ LIZZY (DK)
Danish 90s rock heroes are back.
Maybe, if there is nothing else on.
DULSORI (KOR)
Ecstatic drumming from the ancient East.
Probably not.
EFTERKLANG (DK)
Organic experimental pop.
Am always told to see this lot, but never make it. Maybe this year.
ELECTROJUICE (DK)
Young electro duo.
Doubt it - not a fan of electro!
FALLULAH (DK)
Ambitious pop with tremendous power.
Nope.
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE (UK)
Soulful indie pop.
Hell fcuking no. I cannot stand this woman.
FM BELFAST (ISL)
Electronic music for the nightlife.
Maybe. We shall see.
GALLOWS (UK)
Gruff hardcore punk.
Yes please
GHOST SOCIETY (DK)
Melodic noise rock.
One of those words in the description doesn't fit - Melodic with noise? I don't think so!
GORILLAZ (UK)
Virtual, electronic pop giants.
Got to, got to, got to. If only for the stage show.
HEALTH (US)
Charged noise punk.
Hell yeah
JAPANDROIDS (CAN)
Girl-fixated noise pop.
Hell no
JACK JOHNSON (US)
Groovy and laid-back singer-songwriter.
Only if I can throw things at him. Heavy things. That might shut him up.
CV JØRGENSEN (DK)
Praised Danish singer and poet.
Doubt it.
KASABIAN (UK)
British rock with creative growing pains.
Seen these guys lots of times, and they always rock - so most definitely!
KASPER SPEZ (DK)
True-to-life bohemian hip hop.
Hip hop again - it's almost as though Roskilde don't want me there!
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE (US)
Melodic metalcore.
Love, love, love these guys. And they are phenomenal live
THE KISSAWAY TRAIL (DK)
Ambitious and dreamy indie rock.
Could be ok, but not too sure about the dreamy part of the description!
BASSEKOU KOUYATE & NGONI BA (MALI)
Desert blues with Western elements of rock and jazz.
Doubt it, because I find jazz ponderous.
LINDSTRØM & CHRISTABELLE (N)
Synthetic and ultra-cool disco-pop.
No thanks.
FREJA LOEB (DK)
Sexy and glittering 80s pop.
And again, no thanks.
MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND (MEX)
A Mexican-United States border party.
Think the sound could be ok, and if all else fails, at least there will be tequila!
MOTÖRHEAD (UK)
Classic, bad-to-the-bone rock’n’roll.
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. You could not pay me enough to see this boring band again. Lemmy should just give it up. If there is a god, and he does love me, Lemmy will die on stage at the festival!
MUSE (UK)
Grand stadium rock for the space age.
Nope. They are just dull. And have no stage presence. And I would rather have Placebo!
MY EVIL TWIN (DK)
Electronic pop filled with sweetness and sighs of the heart.
God no.
NEPHEW (DK)
Socially critical electro rock.
Possibly
JOHN OLAV NILSEN & GJENGEN (N)
Life-affirming rock from the rainy city of Bergen.
Maybe
NOFX (US)
Melodic and witty skate punk.
Yup, yup, yup, yup, yuppers! Love these guys. And they are great live!
ORCHESTRE POLY-RYTHMO DE COTONOU (BEN)
Mythical voodoo funk.
Maybe
PAVEMENT (US)
The slacker icons are back.
Shit yeah
PORCUPINE TREE (UK)
Progressive dark rock.
I think so
RISING (DK)
Metallic, strong-on-riffs hard rock.
Strong possibility
ROBYN (S)
Sweden's alternative pop queen.
I just have nightmares of ABBA, so no.
THE RUMOUR SAID FIRE (DK)
Full-fledged folk-pop.
Not a fan of folk music.
SCHLACHTHOFBRONX (DE)
German ghetto-tech aiming at the dance floor.
Nope
SERENA-MANEESH (N)
Titanic noise rock from the cold North.
Nope
SHANTEL & BUCOVINA CLUB ORKESTAR (DE)
Leader of Balkan pop.
Nope
SLEEP PARTY PEOPLE (DK)
Atmospheric and disturbing angst pop.
Doubt it, but may be convinced!
SÓLSTAFIR (ISL)
Symphonic, ice-cold post-metal.
Sure, could be fun
TECH N9NE (US)
Quivering hip hop from virtuoso gift of gab.
Hip hop again. Starting to feel unwanted and unloved!
THE TEMPER TRAP (AUS)
Stellar and epic pop rock.
God no. I have far better things to do with my time. Like stand in the queue for the toilet!
THEE ATTACKS (DK)
Uncomplicated 60s rock.
Maybe
THEM CROOKED VULTURES (US/UK)
Supergroup to the highest rock degree.
Am in two minds. Adore Josh Homme, but cannot stand the man who shall not be named, from his band which shall not be named. But at least he will be the drummer, so there is a good chance I won't see him. Will have to see if it doesn't clash with something I want to see!
VALIENT THORR (US)
Hardworking heavy rockers.
Definitely
WILD BEASTS (UK)
Impressionistic, bohemian indie.
Possibly
WOODEN SHJIPS (US)
Psychedelic trance rock.
Possibly
And that is the band list as it stands now. As and when new stuff gets announced, I shall keep you all posted!
And it is almost the weekend! Which is great news. As The Mentalist has promised me shoes!
Thursday 8 April 2010
Wednesday blues
As I have previously mentioned, Wednesday is usually my favourite day of the week, due to there being a Roskilde announcement, but for the past two Wednesdays, there have only been announcements for the bands that are playing during the four days in the run up to the main event. So as you can imagine, I am not best pleased.
I have previously threatened to do a post on Roskilde, and I have decided that today will be the day.
Roskilde festival is held every year at the start of July in a town called Roskilde, about 30 minutes away from Copenhagen. The festival runs from Sunday to Sunday, but the first four days are mainly for unsigned bands, Roskilde cinema and for people to get in and set up camp. The final four days is the main part of the festival).
Each campsite, or Agora, has a specific theme. For example, there is the swimming Agora, which is the campsite right next to the lake. Here people can swim in the lake which is man made. The Agora next door to the swimming one is the fishing one. Bet you can't guess what goes on here!There is also a skating Agora, where there is a large skate park, as well as Agoras set aside for quiet, or reading, or dramatic arts. Last year they even had an ice skating rink (which wasn't really ice, but who's complaining?)
We stay in the camp which is called Get-a-Tent. There are two main reasons for this. Yes, the ticket is more expensive, but you don't have to take a tent with you, as there are brand new tents set up before hand, and you just get allocated one when you arrive. There are free hot showers, and nice, clean, flushing toilets. I know it makes me sound old when I say that those are selling points! And you get to keep the tents at the end of the festival. Which is great (although I now have a rather large collection of Roskilde tents gathering dust in my loft!) The other good reason for going Get-a-Tent is that it is generally quieter, and you don't wake up in the morning to find that someone has very kindly set up camp directly in front of where you need to get out of your tent!
So to the festival itself. As I have said, the main festival (or rather the bit I go!) starts on the Thursday afternoon. We usually head over to Denmark on the Wednesday, which gives us a chance to get acclimatised, and also catch up with people we have met over the previous pilgrimages! It also gives us a great chance to try and decide who are going to be seeing, and working out routes between stages to ensure we don’t miss much!
Over the past four years I have seen some amazing bands, but have also been subjected to some utter crap – Neil Young, Jay Zed to name a few.
But in all reality, Roskilde isn’t just about the music. It’s about the people. It is a brilliant festival because people are there for the experience. They aren’t there to get hammered. They aren’t there to cause a fight. They aren’t there to be an idiot. They are there because they genuinely love the festival. And once you have been to one, you will return again and again.
So that is just a nut shell of Roskilde. Closer to the time I will publish the entire list of those that I want to see, but if you can’t handle the wait, go to the website, and have a little look see! Maybe I will convince all two of you faithfuls to come!
I have previously threatened to do a post on Roskilde, and I have decided that today will be the day.
Roskilde festival is held every year at the start of July in a town called Roskilde, about 30 minutes away from Copenhagen. The festival runs from Sunday to Sunday, but the first four days are mainly for unsigned bands, Roskilde cinema and for people to get in and set up camp. The final four days is the main part of the festival).
Each campsite, or Agora, has a specific theme. For example, there is the swimming Agora, which is the campsite right next to the lake. Here people can swim in the lake which is man made. The Agora next door to the swimming one is the fishing one. Bet you can't guess what goes on here!There is also a skating Agora, where there is a large skate park, as well as Agoras set aside for quiet, or reading, or dramatic arts. Last year they even had an ice skating rink (which wasn't really ice, but who's complaining?)
We stay in the camp which is called Get-a-Tent. There are two main reasons for this. Yes, the ticket is more expensive, but you don't have to take a tent with you, as there are brand new tents set up before hand, and you just get allocated one when you arrive. There are free hot showers, and nice, clean, flushing toilets. I know it makes me sound old when I say that those are selling points! And you get to keep the tents at the end of the festival. Which is great (although I now have a rather large collection of Roskilde tents gathering dust in my loft!) The other good reason for going Get-a-Tent is that it is generally quieter, and you don't wake up in the morning to find that someone has very kindly set up camp directly in front of where you need to get out of your tent!
So to the festival itself. As I have said, the main festival (or rather the bit I go!) starts on the Thursday afternoon. We usually head over to Denmark on the Wednesday, which gives us a chance to get acclimatised, and also catch up with people we have met over the previous pilgrimages! It also gives us a great chance to try and decide who are going to be seeing, and working out routes between stages to ensure we don’t miss much!
Over the past four years I have seen some amazing bands, but have also been subjected to some utter crap – Neil Young, Jay Zed to name a few.
But in all reality, Roskilde isn’t just about the music. It’s about the people. It is a brilliant festival because people are there for the experience. They aren’t there to get hammered. They aren’t there to cause a fight. They aren’t there to be an idiot. They are there because they genuinely love the festival. And once you have been to one, you will return again and again.
So that is just a nut shell of Roskilde. Closer to the time I will publish the entire list of those that I want to see, but if you can’t handle the wait, go to the website, and have a little look see! Maybe I will convince all two of you faithfuls to come!
I hate apples
Now for those of you that know me, you will have come to realise that I am a very calm and patient person (stop coughing at the back!).
For those of you that don't, just go along with the fantasy I have just written about!
However, there is one very large thing that I just cannot handle. People making noise when they eat. People snapping chewing gum. People crunching crisps very loudly.
And my number one pet hate in this category is people eating apples.
There is a woman who sits opposite me at work who eats an apple every single night. Good for her, you might say, she is being all healthy. I must hasten to add, at this point, that she also eats a packet of crisps, so boo on her.
It takes this woman 25 minutes to eat one apple. And she is the noisiest eater I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. How the hell can it take 25 minutes to eat a damn apple? I hear the crunch, so tense, waiting for the next one, and just when I have relaxed, she takes another bite.
There are days I would quite happily beat her repeatedly round the head with one of my crutches.
You may, or may not, be able to tell that she is doing it now. I can understand why people go postal, as I am just about to.
If you don't hear from me for a little while, send me cakes (with files in them) courtesy of Her Majesty's prison service.
For those of you that don't, just go along with the fantasy I have just written about!
However, there is one very large thing that I just cannot handle. People making noise when they eat. People snapping chewing gum. People crunching crisps very loudly.
And my number one pet hate in this category is people eating apples.
There is a woman who sits opposite me at work who eats an apple every single night. Good for her, you might say, she is being all healthy. I must hasten to add, at this point, that she also eats a packet of crisps, so boo on her.
It takes this woman 25 minutes to eat one apple. And she is the noisiest eater I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. How the hell can it take 25 minutes to eat a damn apple? I hear the crunch, so tense, waiting for the next one, and just when I have relaxed, she takes another bite.
There are days I would quite happily beat her repeatedly round the head with one of my crutches.
You may, or may not, be able to tell that she is doing it now. I can understand why people go postal, as I am just about to.
If you don't hear from me for a little while, send me cakes (with files in them) courtesy of Her Majesty's prison service.
Wednesday 7 April 2010
Band of the Week - The Hellacopters
I have chosen a Swedish garage rock band that have broken up as my band of the week this week.
The Hellacopters were a band that i got into on the back of another Swedish band, Backyard Babies. It is hard to define what exactly it is about them that I like so much.
Their sound is not unique, but somehow managed to speak to me on a level I cannot explain.
The Hellacopters played one of their last ever gigs at Roskilde in 2008 (I will do a post on Roskilde separately - hopefully tomorrow if they actually do an announcement - I am still waiting in anticipation!), which was probably my highlight of the festival.
When it was announced that they would be playing, The Mentalist and I agreed that come hell or high water we would be at that gig.
They were scheduled to play on the first night, at the same time as Radiohead, which is a band I am not particularly fond of, so to me it was double win. Only the people that really liked The Hellacopters would be at that stage, and I didn't have to hear/see Radiohead!
The band were phenomenal, although it was a tad disconcerting that all their songs were in English, yet all the talking that they did between songs was in Swedish! Still, the crown were mostly Scandawegian, so could understand both aspects.
The Mentalist and I managed to nab ourselves a great spot under a tree, on the grass, so we had enough room to dance around, whilst still being able to see and hear perfectly.
The joys started off when we got chatting to an older couple. I say chatting to the couple, the man had smoked his first few drags of weed in 25 years, and had passed out! His wife was enjoying herself prodding and poking him at intermittent intervals, in between telling us all about the previous years that they had been to Roskilde.
After that the band came on, and hilarity ensued! There was a man in front of us who insisted upon playing the entire range of air instruments, even some I hadn't thought of. He then decided to pretend he was a plane, and went flying around his group of friends. Unfortunately, he went a bit wide, and managed to knock into someone he didn't know, and make him drop his drinks. The great thing about Roskilde is that no one is aggressive. In a British festival, you would expect it all to kick off into a big fight, but within minutes, the two were great friends, and all was well.
I have spoken a lot about the gig, rather than the music, and my reasons for this are twofold. Firstly, I am still upset with them for disbanding. Secondly, I really think this is a band you should listen to for yourself. Look them up on YouTube, or download them from which ever music site you get your music from, and give them a whirl. If I was to make a suggestion for one song to listen to, it would be "I'm in the band" from the Rock & Roll Is Dead album.
Happy listening!
The Hellacopters were a band that i got into on the back of another Swedish band, Backyard Babies. It is hard to define what exactly it is about them that I like so much.
Their sound is not unique, but somehow managed to speak to me on a level I cannot explain.
The Hellacopters played one of their last ever gigs at Roskilde in 2008 (I will do a post on Roskilde separately - hopefully tomorrow if they actually do an announcement - I am still waiting in anticipation!), which was probably my highlight of the festival.
When it was announced that they would be playing, The Mentalist and I agreed that come hell or high water we would be at that gig.
They were scheduled to play on the first night, at the same time as Radiohead, which is a band I am not particularly fond of, so to me it was double win. Only the people that really liked The Hellacopters would be at that stage, and I didn't have to hear/see Radiohead!
The band were phenomenal, although it was a tad disconcerting that all their songs were in English, yet all the talking that they did between songs was in Swedish! Still, the crown were mostly Scandawegian, so could understand both aspects.
The Mentalist and I managed to nab ourselves a great spot under a tree, on the grass, so we had enough room to dance around, whilst still being able to see and hear perfectly.
The joys started off when we got chatting to an older couple. I say chatting to the couple, the man had smoked his first few drags of weed in 25 years, and had passed out! His wife was enjoying herself prodding and poking him at intermittent intervals, in between telling us all about the previous years that they had been to Roskilde.
After that the band came on, and hilarity ensued! There was a man in front of us who insisted upon playing the entire range of air instruments, even some I hadn't thought of. He then decided to pretend he was a plane, and went flying around his group of friends. Unfortunately, he went a bit wide, and managed to knock into someone he didn't know, and make him drop his drinks. The great thing about Roskilde is that no one is aggressive. In a British festival, you would expect it all to kick off into a big fight, but within minutes, the two were great friends, and all was well.
I have spoken a lot about the gig, rather than the music, and my reasons for this are twofold. Firstly, I am still upset with them for disbanding. Secondly, I really think this is a band you should listen to for yourself. Look them up on YouTube, or download them from which ever music site you get your music from, and give them a whirl. If I was to make a suggestion for one song to listen to, it would be "I'm in the band" from the Rock & Roll Is Dead album.
Happy listening!
Silence is golden...
so shut up and get rich?
I must apologise to all my faithful two readers for my silence over the Easter break. It isn't that I have been celebrating Easter, because I haven't. My excuse is pain. Which to be honest, is getting really rather dull.
Pain has been my "friend" for so long now that I should in reality be used to it, but as more and more time passes, I am finding myself sliding further into a funk than I have ever been before. I suppose it could be considered a form of depression, but I honestly don't think it is.
There ARE days that I want to end it, but not in a "the world would be a better place without me" kind of way. It is more of a case of not wanting to carry on if I am in the same amount of pain (or more) as I am at the minute in five years time. It is frustration at my inability to do the things I want to do. It is annoyance that I can't say to someone that I will meet them at a point in the near future, because on that day, who knows, I may actually be couch bound.
I am at the stage now where I cannot climb stairs, so I have to sleep on a couch in the living room. It isn't fair to the others in the house, because they feel they cannot be in the lounge if I am sleeping. To be honest, I sleep so little, it doesn't actually matter if they are in there or not.
I am also frustrated at the complete lack of interest the NHS has in how I am suffering. I am assuming that they think I am making this up, in order to get some kind of pain medication. Chance would be a fine thing. I am currently on the highest allowable dosage of a medication that I have told them on numerous occasions doesn't work, but I have not had a review at all. It is almost as though when I go in to talk to a doctor he listens to what I say, and then makes up what he wants to hear.
The Mentalist and I have decided to change doctors. I have said we should give the surgery one last chance at getting it sort of right. If they don't, I am going to go somewhere else. And I am going to keep changing surgeries until I get some kind of support.
Sorry for the rant, but pain has been well and truly in situ over the past few days, so it is all that is on my mind. However I am going on holiday in 10 days, so I am trying to get myself a PMA!
So I shall cheer the hell up, and post more frequently!
Love to you all.
I must apologise to all my faithful two readers for my silence over the Easter break. It isn't that I have been celebrating Easter, because I haven't. My excuse is pain. Which to be honest, is getting really rather dull.
Pain has been my "friend" for so long now that I should in reality be used to it, but as more and more time passes, I am finding myself sliding further into a funk than I have ever been before. I suppose it could be considered a form of depression, but I honestly don't think it is.
There ARE days that I want to end it, but not in a "the world would be a better place without me" kind of way. It is more of a case of not wanting to carry on if I am in the same amount of pain (or more) as I am at the minute in five years time. It is frustration at my inability to do the things I want to do. It is annoyance that I can't say to someone that I will meet them at a point in the near future, because on that day, who knows, I may actually be couch bound.
I am at the stage now where I cannot climb stairs, so I have to sleep on a couch in the living room. It isn't fair to the others in the house, because they feel they cannot be in the lounge if I am sleeping. To be honest, I sleep so little, it doesn't actually matter if they are in there or not.
I am also frustrated at the complete lack of interest the NHS has in how I am suffering. I am assuming that they think I am making this up, in order to get some kind of pain medication. Chance would be a fine thing. I am currently on the highest allowable dosage of a medication that I have told them on numerous occasions doesn't work, but I have not had a review at all. It is almost as though when I go in to talk to a doctor he listens to what I say, and then makes up what he wants to hear.
The Mentalist and I have decided to change doctors. I have said we should give the surgery one last chance at getting it sort of right. If they don't, I am going to go somewhere else. And I am going to keep changing surgeries until I get some kind of support.
Sorry for the rant, but pain has been well and truly in situ over the past few days, so it is all that is on my mind. However I am going on holiday in 10 days, so I am trying to get myself a PMA!
So I shall cheer the hell up, and post more frequently!
Love to you all.
Wednesday 31 March 2010
Wednesday - my favourite day of the week
Well, that's not entirely true, it is more that every Wednesday they do the band announcement for Roskilde.
Roskilde, for those not in the know, is the festival held in Roskilde, Denmark, for the first week of every July. The festival is spread out over 8 days, but the main acts are only on the last four.
Our pilgrimage usually leaves on the Wednesday (the day before all the major bands play) so that we can get to the camping ground, and meet up with people from previous years.
The festival music style ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous, but you don't really go for the music, you go for the atmosphere, the people, and (usually) the weather.
Roskilde is one of the happiest places to be in July. There can be a months worth of rain on one day, yet still people are having fun. It isn't about drinking as much as you can, or doing as many drugs as you can, its about connecting with people and opening yourself to new and different experiences.
Every year at around this time we have "I don't think there are all that many bands I actually want to see" conversation, but every year, without fail, we manage to find something new when we get there.
So today is announcement day, and I am hopeful there will be something exciting. Don't worry, tho, I shall let you know later!
Roskilde, for those not in the know, is the festival held in Roskilde, Denmark, for the first week of every July. The festival is spread out over 8 days, but the main acts are only on the last four.
Our pilgrimage usually leaves on the Wednesday (the day before all the major bands play) so that we can get to the camping ground, and meet up with people from previous years.
The festival music style ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous, but you don't really go for the music, you go for the atmosphere, the people, and (usually) the weather.
Roskilde is one of the happiest places to be in July. There can be a months worth of rain on one day, yet still people are having fun. It isn't about drinking as much as you can, or doing as many drugs as you can, its about connecting with people and opening yourself to new and different experiences.
Every year at around this time we have "I don't think there are all that many bands I actually want to see" conversation, but every year, without fail, we manage to find something new when we get there.
So today is announcement day, and I am hopeful there will be something exciting. Don't worry, tho, I shall let you know later!
Tuesday 30 March 2010
Band of the week - Rage Against The Machine
There was a little bit of debate in the house this week as to what the band of the week was going to be. I have gone with Rage Against The Machine for a number of reasons.
RATM was one of my favourite bands when I was growing up. For some reason, their music really spoke to me. Most probably because I was an angry teenager!
I did go for a number of years without listening to them, but stumbled across their first album "Rage Against The Machine" when I was doing a sort of all my music.
I fell in love with the band all over again but for entirely different reasons. I can now recognise that musically, they are extremely talented, and their lyrics are extremely profound.
I had the opportunity to go and see RATM play a gig in a very large park in Paris. The day itself was glorious, and despite the fact that it was in Paris so full of Parisians, the atmosphere was electric.
I knew the day was going to be a good one when Lostprophets were the opening act. It was a bit of a strange one, as I know that the 'Prophets aren't too big in France, and when you are supporting a band that hasn't toured for years, and were extremely popular, it was always going to be tricky! However, to my mind, they were amazing, and a definite upper for the day.
It was just starting to get dark when RATM came on stage, and I am sure you could have heard the cheering in London. They played an amazing set, and considering they haven't released anything new, there was never a dull moment. I have to say that they only problem I had with the day was the fact that they were charging an extortionate amount of money for the merchandise. Considering they are anti-establishment and all that, I did think that €45 for a t-shirt was excessive.
My final note on RATM is how happy I was that they became the Christmas number 1 song with "Killing in the name of".
Check back same time next week for a slightly surprising band of the week!
RATM was one of my favourite bands when I was growing up. For some reason, their music really spoke to me. Most probably because I was an angry teenager!
I did go for a number of years without listening to them, but stumbled across their first album "Rage Against The Machine" when I was doing a sort of all my music.
I fell in love with the band all over again but for entirely different reasons. I can now recognise that musically, they are extremely talented, and their lyrics are extremely profound.
I had the opportunity to go and see RATM play a gig in a very large park in Paris. The day itself was glorious, and despite the fact that it was in Paris so full of Parisians, the atmosphere was electric.
I knew the day was going to be a good one when Lostprophets were the opening act. It was a bit of a strange one, as I know that the 'Prophets aren't too big in France, and when you are supporting a band that hasn't toured for years, and were extremely popular, it was always going to be tricky! However, to my mind, they were amazing, and a definite upper for the day.
It was just starting to get dark when RATM came on stage, and I am sure you could have heard the cheering in London. They played an amazing set, and considering they haven't released anything new, there was never a dull moment. I have to say that they only problem I had with the day was the fact that they were charging an extortionate amount of money for the merchandise. Considering they are anti-establishment and all that, I did think that €45 for a t-shirt was excessive.
My final note on RATM is how happy I was that they became the Christmas number 1 song with "Killing in the name of".
Check back same time next week for a slightly surprising band of the week!
Friday 26 March 2010
Mickey Mouse plc is fucked up
I have just had a meeting with my line manager, a nice enough woman without a back bone, to discuss shortening my working hours due to disability. I only wanted to work one hour less a night, which they have grudgingly given me.
However, the direct quote from the snake was "Mickey Mouse plc expect something in return. They expect to see a decrease in sick days". Now, I don't really understand why they should expect anything in return. I am taking a pay cut by working less, and because of their screwed sick day policy, we don't get paid if we don't come in. So surely that's a good thing. They get to keep some of the money that they would have given me.
The next thing she wanted was access to my medical records. You can imagine my response.
Still, if they fire me, I shall sue them. Then I shall be a gajillionaire.
Mickey Mouse plc, one day very soon I shall be coming to get you. Like many others have done before.
Whinge over. It's Friday, I am going home in 3 hours, and then my weekend starts! Woo Hoo.
Will try and be more positive in my next post. I might even put up pictures of kittens, knitting and daffodils. And who knows, maybe I will get a pay rise next year. Which do you think has the greatest chance of happening? Answers on a post card, winner gets a gajillion somethings.
However, the direct quote from the snake was "Mickey Mouse plc expect something in return. They expect to see a decrease in sick days". Now, I don't really understand why they should expect anything in return. I am taking a pay cut by working less, and because of their screwed sick day policy, we don't get paid if we don't come in. So surely that's a good thing. They get to keep some of the money that they would have given me.
The next thing she wanted was access to my medical records. You can imagine my response.
Still, if they fire me, I shall sue them. Then I shall be a gajillionaire.
Mickey Mouse plc, one day very soon I shall be coming to get you. Like many others have done before.
Whinge over. It's Friday, I am going home in 3 hours, and then my weekend starts! Woo Hoo.
Will try and be more positive in my next post. I might even put up pictures of kittens, knitting and daffodils. And who knows, maybe I will get a pay rise next year. Which do you think has the greatest chance of happening? Answers on a post card, winner gets a gajillion somethings.
"I'm a lot more normal than people give me credit for"
The Mentalist has been grumpier than normal recently. Which living with someone in chronic pain will do to a person. Plus the added bonus of Tigs and his stress monkey ways, and you have all the ingredients to make someone grumpy.
TM has suffered with depression for most of his life. It is part of his character, and it is one of the things we, uh, love about him. It's none of your garden variety sort of depression, because being difficult is another part of his character.
Still, after I started calling him Maudlin Moe - a name I felt was a step up from my normal terms of endearment - he decided to something about it. He went off to the doctor, me with the hope he would get some Xanax, or anything slightly upperish (it's a word, honest), him with the hope that I would stop mocking him.
Unfortunately we have a crap GP who won't prescribe anything, not even to get me out of pain for a little while, so I didn't really have a hope in hell of getting anything tasty via TM. The man told TM that he needed counselling. To which I laughed (internally) heartily! I didn't voice my concerns (or at least, only a few), because it was something he needed to do.
TM is not a fan of anything head doctor related, and being the bright spark that he is, he decided to mess with the poor counsellor. Not on the first visit, because he was prepared to give it a go.
Apparently the first visit went well. Although when he got home, he was concerned by some of the things that she spoke about. He decided then that counselling wasn't the way forward for him, and thought that he wouldn't bother going for any more.
The surgery, however, decided that he did need to go for more sessions, and booked him in for the following week. So he decided to go, just to see if maybe he had got the wrong impression from the counsellor.
But no. She really didn't have a clue how to handle him, and accused him of using sarcasm as a shield. Now, I don't know about you, but sarcasm is more a way of pointing out to people just how dumb they are being.
By the end of the session, it was agreed by both parties that they shouldn't meet again. Her because TM is just too insane to deal with (or rather she just doesn't have the ability to deal with him), TM because he (wrongly) realised that he is a lot more normal than people give him credit for.
This coming from the man who feels that accessories for Chiwanabees is a great money making idea. But that, dear readers, is a story for another day.
Hope you have a happy Monday, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the band of the week!
TM has suffered with depression for most of his life. It is part of his character, and it is one of the things we, uh, love about him. It's none of your garden variety sort of depression, because being difficult is another part of his character.
Still, after I started calling him Maudlin Moe - a name I felt was a step up from my normal terms of endearment - he decided to something about it. He went off to the doctor, me with the hope he would get some Xanax, or anything slightly upperish (it's a word, honest), him with the hope that I would stop mocking him.
Unfortunately we have a crap GP who won't prescribe anything, not even to get me out of pain for a little while, so I didn't really have a hope in hell of getting anything tasty via TM. The man told TM that he needed counselling. To which I laughed (internally) heartily! I didn't voice my concerns (or at least, only a few), because it was something he needed to do.
TM is not a fan of anything head doctor related, and being the bright spark that he is, he decided to mess with the poor counsellor. Not on the first visit, because he was prepared to give it a go.
Apparently the first visit went well. Although when he got home, he was concerned by some of the things that she spoke about. He decided then that counselling wasn't the way forward for him, and thought that he wouldn't bother going for any more.
The surgery, however, decided that he did need to go for more sessions, and booked him in for the following week. So he decided to go, just to see if maybe he had got the wrong impression from the counsellor.
But no. She really didn't have a clue how to handle him, and accused him of using sarcasm as a shield. Now, I don't know about you, but sarcasm is more a way of pointing out to people just how dumb they are being.
By the end of the session, it was agreed by both parties that they shouldn't meet again. Her because TM is just too insane to deal with (or rather she just doesn't have the ability to deal with him), TM because he (wrongly) realised that he is a lot more normal than people give him credit for.
This coming from the man who feels that accessories for Chiwanabees is a great money making idea. But that, dear readers, is a story for another day.
Hope you have a happy Monday, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the band of the week!
Thursday 25 March 2010
Graveyard
No, not as macabre as it sounds. It is just the shift that I work, doing desk top publishing for a bank - or rather I am part of an outsource company that the bank has paid to employ/manage/ chivvy /pay us for them.
I have been working the graveyard shift for a number of years now, churning out crap for idiots that get paid far too much, and wouldn't know common sense if it smacked them up side the head.
The graveyard shift draws many different people. Some have kids, so it makes it easy for child care, others prefer earning lots of money, some are weird, and wouldn't be allowed to work any other shift. Then there is me. I work graveyard because by and large I hate people. I hate crowds. I hate bankers. I hate fools with no common sense. To be honest, it might be easier to list those things I don't hate! One of the other benefits from working graveyard is no management ... and the list for why this is so fantastic goes on, and on, and on (you get the picture - I may just introduce Mickey Mouse plc's management to you in a new post)
Bankers, for all their alleged smarts (graduated from Oxbridge, don't you know, don't you know) haven't a clue about the real world and what is really important (they don't really like it when I point out that what they do isn't important, and no one is going to read their shit anyway!). Still, they are amusing creatures.
I just wish that they wouldn't constantly imagine that I can change water into wine. I assume that this must be the case, because some of their requests are just down right laughable. Wanting to fit a large table in a very small space.
It does pay the bills, though, and there are at least a few characters overnight to play with! Also, a very large benefit is that when I leave in the morning, the second I walk out the door, I have completely forgotten about the fools I work for. Then there is just the joys of the fools on my way home. But I am going home, and they are going to work, so it is all grand!
So that is a small blog about where I work. Maybe tomorrow I will write about the company I work for. Or maybe I will come up with something different.
Suggestions/requests on a postcard.
I have been working the graveyard shift for a number of years now, churning out crap for idiots that get paid far too much, and wouldn't know common sense if it smacked them up side the head.
The graveyard shift draws many different people. Some have kids, so it makes it easy for child care, others prefer earning lots of money, some are weird, and wouldn't be allowed to work any other shift. Then there is me. I work graveyard because by and large I hate people. I hate crowds. I hate bankers. I hate fools with no common sense. To be honest, it might be easier to list those things I don't hate! One of the other benefits from working graveyard is no management ... and the list for why this is so fantastic goes on, and on, and on (you get the picture - I may just introduce Mickey Mouse plc's management to you in a new post)
Bankers, for all their alleged smarts (graduated from Oxbridge, don't you know, don't you know) haven't a clue about the real world and what is really important (they don't really like it when I point out that what they do isn't important, and no one is going to read their shit anyway!). Still, they are amusing creatures.
I just wish that they wouldn't constantly imagine that I can change water into wine. I assume that this must be the case, because some of their requests are just down right laughable. Wanting to fit a large table in a very small space.
It does pay the bills, though, and there are at least a few characters overnight to play with! Also, a very large benefit is that when I leave in the morning, the second I walk out the door, I have completely forgotten about the fools I work for. Then there is just the joys of the fools on my way home. But I am going home, and they are going to work, so it is all grand!
So that is a small blog about where I work. Maybe tomorrow I will write about the company I work for. Or maybe I will come up with something different.
Suggestions/requests on a postcard.
Tuesday 23 March 2010
Band of the week - Lostprophets
Soccermom, which is a blog I really enjoy reading, loves music as much as I, and I have decided to copy her (it's a sign of respect, honest!) and do a band a week. I shall be slightly different in my format, and give my impressions rather than doing their biographies.
The reason I want to do this is so I can remember what I was listening to at this time in my life. And also, if anyone does read my blog, they too can enjoy (or mock - but I warn you, I have two crutches, and I am not afraid to use them!) what I like.
The band I have chosen for this week are Lostprophets, a wonderful Welsh Rock band that until you see them live, you may not understand the appeal!
The music by Lostprophets is quite diverse. Songs like Shinobi vs Dragon Ninja from the first album, Burn Burn from the second album and Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast) from the third album are epic rock tunes that just make you want to jump up and down.
The main reason I have chosen this band is because they are PHENOMENAL live. I do put a great deal of stock in how good a band performs, mostly because when I go to a gig, I have to be in a place where I am pushed, shoved, or get beer thrown over me. If it sounds exactly like the album, I am generally disappointed. If I wanted to hear the album, I would do so in a place where I can be comfortable! Maybe I am getting old (no, Angry Girl, you aren't, you are still ahem 24 and a half!) but I like to be entertained.
Lostprophets are great, because they don't care how big the audience is, they are just happy to be up there playing their music, and having fun. I have seen them play to 100 people in a tiny venue, and a week later play in a large arena with a capacity of over 10,000. Both gigs felt intimate, and the energy was intense.
But the biggest bonus with this band is their lead singer, Ian Watkins. That man loves to talk. Really loves to talk. To the point where the band have had to cut songs from the set list, due to him chatting. He has, in the past sat on stage during the bit most bands go off before the encore, just to entertain the crowd.
He is the only man I have ever known to use the word "lacklustre" during a set!
But besides that, the band truly love what they do. They aren't pressured to conform to a label's ideals, or if they were, I would imagine Ian would have just talked over them! Every time I see them live it is a totally different experience. One of their best gigs was an acoustic session, held in a church. They brought a Welsh Male Choir to be their backing, and I was moved to tears.
A truly amazing band. Check them out if you can.
The reason I want to do this is so I can remember what I was listening to at this time in my life. And also, if anyone does read my blog, they too can enjoy (or mock - but I warn you, I have two crutches, and I am not afraid to use them!) what I like.
The band I have chosen for this week are Lostprophets, a wonderful Welsh Rock band that until you see them live, you may not understand the appeal!
The music by Lostprophets is quite diverse. Songs like Shinobi vs Dragon Ninja from the first album, Burn Burn from the second album and Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast) from the third album are epic rock tunes that just make you want to jump up and down.
The main reason I have chosen this band is because they are PHENOMENAL live. I do put a great deal of stock in how good a band performs, mostly because when I go to a gig, I have to be in a place where I am pushed, shoved, or get beer thrown over me. If it sounds exactly like the album, I am generally disappointed. If I wanted to hear the album, I would do so in a place where I can be comfortable! Maybe I am getting old (no, Angry Girl, you aren't, you are still ahem 24 and a half!) but I like to be entertained.
Lostprophets are great, because they don't care how big the audience is, they are just happy to be up there playing their music, and having fun. I have seen them play to 100 people in a tiny venue, and a week later play in a large arena with a capacity of over 10,000. Both gigs felt intimate, and the energy was intense.
But the biggest bonus with this band is their lead singer, Ian Watkins. That man loves to talk. Really loves to talk. To the point where the band have had to cut songs from the set list, due to him chatting. He has, in the past sat on stage during the bit most bands go off before the encore, just to entertain the crowd.
He is the only man I have ever known to use the word "lacklustre" during a set!
But besides that, the band truly love what they do. They aren't pressured to conform to a label's ideals, or if they were, I would imagine Ian would have just talked over them! Every time I see them live it is a totally different experience. One of their best gigs was an acoustic session, held in a church. They brought a Welsh Male Choir to be their backing, and I was moved to tears.
A truly amazing band. Check them out if you can.
Introducing the other players...
To follow on from yesterday's post, I feel it is now time to introduce the other key players in this game, as I have already bored you with the lead character.
First off, we have Tigga - who at times will be called Stress Monkey. Tigga and I have known each other for years and years. We grew up together in Hicksville, Africa. As I went to the best primary school, and he went to the second best, we didn't really hang out until we got much older.
Tigga and my brother went to college in Johannesburg, and started hanging out together quite a lot. Tigga and I reconnected through him. I moved down there with him, fell in love, and we decided to get as far away from Hicksville as we could. So we moved to London.
Once in London, we decided to do the grown up thing and get married. Which somehow didn't really work. Fast forward a number of years, we decided to split up. Fortunately, we are still great friends, which is handy, as we still live together.
The next person to enter the set is The Mentalist (from here on to be known as TM). TM and I met through a friend, connected, and started dating. I say dating ... I think we have been on one date, and as far as I can remember, I paid. So I think someone owes me shoes!
TM moved into the house a few years ago, and things have been interesting ever since.
TM, Tigga and I live in a very small house in London, which we share with the fat cat.
So that, bushpigs, is where we are at today. At some point, I shall do a proper Q&A session with each of the team so you will get to know the joy (read pain) of living with them!
Hope you all have a great day.
Good night bushpigs.
First off, we have Tigga - who at times will be called Stress Monkey. Tigga and I have known each other for years and years. We grew up together in Hicksville, Africa. As I went to the best primary school, and he went to the second best, we didn't really hang out until we got much older.
Tigga and my brother went to college in Johannesburg, and started hanging out together quite a lot. Tigga and I reconnected through him. I moved down there with him, fell in love, and we decided to get as far away from Hicksville as we could. So we moved to London.
Once in London, we decided to do the grown up thing and get married. Which somehow didn't really work. Fast forward a number of years, we decided to split up. Fortunately, we are still great friends, which is handy, as we still live together.
The next person to enter the set is The Mentalist (from here on to be known as TM). TM and I met through a friend, connected, and started dating. I say dating ... I think we have been on one date, and as far as I can remember, I paid. So I think someone owes me shoes!
TM moved into the house a few years ago, and things have been interesting ever since.
TM, Tigga and I live in a very small house in London, which we share with the fat cat.
So that, bushpigs, is where we are at today. At some point, I shall do a proper Q&A session with each of the team so you will get to know the joy (read pain) of living with them!
Hope you all have a great day.
Good night bushpigs.
Sunday 21 March 2010
Explaining pain
I had wanted to write daily, but unfortunately I have been suffering a bit this week.
For my second post I thought I would explain the title of this blog. This is a record for me, so that i would know what I was feeling later on.
I have lived with chronic pain for about three years now, and it has been steadily getting worse. I suffer from the rather unorignally named Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome, which, unfortunately has no known cause, and at the minute, no known cure.
Most people suffer from some kind of pain throughout their lives. Pain is split in to two main categories. Acute and Chronic. Acute pain is pain that follows a set pattern. For example, you get a paper cut which hurts a great deal. The body will start the healing process, and over time the pain will go away. With Acute pain, there is an end point, which can be anywhere up to three months, depending on the type of injury sustained. Chronic pain is a term used to describe pain that persists over time, like rheumatoild arthritis. It is also very unpredictable, with no two people finding that they suffer in the same way.
Over the last three years I have been from one specialist to another to try and find out what is wrong with me. It started out with a torn calf muscle, which happened when I got cramp in my foot. Then it progressed to me having a very sore stomach. I went to a gastroenterologist who did one endoscopy, three colonoscopys (which is a whole post on its own.) and resulted in a two week hospital stay! I also started suffering from a permanent headache at about that time. I was passed from one supposed specialist to another, without making any headway with why I was in constant pain. I was starting to wonder if I was making it up (like a very unprofessional "Professor"claimed - again, another post), or going insane. Finally I was referred to a pain specialist, who diagnosed me.
I also suffer from quite a lot of neurological pain, which mostly manifests itself with feet that feel like they are on fire. And even though I repeatedly request that The Mentalist (TM) and Tigga chop my feet off, they are still attached and still burning.
I am, at the moment, walking with two sticks, as my leg muscles are either spasming, or i have the sensation that they aren't attached, which has caused me to fall over a fair number of times.
So that should, explain the pain aspect of my blog title. Tomorrow, bushpigs, I am hoping to find the courage to write about The Mentalist and Tigga. Quite an exciting story, so hopefully I shall see you all here then!
Good night bushpigs.
For my second post I thought I would explain the title of this blog. This is a record for me, so that i would know what I was feeling later on.
I have lived with chronic pain for about three years now, and it has been steadily getting worse. I suffer from the rather unorignally named Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome, which, unfortunately has no known cause, and at the minute, no known cure.
Most people suffer from some kind of pain throughout their lives. Pain is split in to two main categories. Acute and Chronic. Acute pain is pain that follows a set pattern. For example, you get a paper cut which hurts a great deal. The body will start the healing process, and over time the pain will go away. With Acute pain, there is an end point, which can be anywhere up to three months, depending on the type of injury sustained. Chronic pain is a term used to describe pain that persists over time, like rheumatoild arthritis. It is also very unpredictable, with no two people finding that they suffer in the same way.
Over the last three years I have been from one specialist to another to try and find out what is wrong with me. It started out with a torn calf muscle, which happened when I got cramp in my foot. Then it progressed to me having a very sore stomach. I went to a gastroenterologist who did one endoscopy, three colonoscopys (which is a whole post on its own.) and resulted in a two week hospital stay! I also started suffering from a permanent headache at about that time. I was passed from one supposed specialist to another, without making any headway with why I was in constant pain. I was starting to wonder if I was making it up (like a very unprofessional "Professor"claimed - again, another post), or going insane. Finally I was referred to a pain specialist, who diagnosed me.
I also suffer from quite a lot of neurological pain, which mostly manifests itself with feet that feel like they are on fire. And even though I repeatedly request that The Mentalist (TM) and Tigga chop my feet off, they are still attached and still burning.
I am, at the moment, walking with two sticks, as my leg muscles are either spasming, or i have the sensation that they aren't attached, which has caused me to fall over a fair number of times.
So that should, explain the pain aspect of my blog title. Tomorrow, bushpigs, I am hoping to find the courage to write about The Mentalist and Tigga. Quite an exciting story, so hopefully I shall see you all here then!
Good night bushpigs.
Friday 19 March 2010
It is with great thanks…
To Aunt Becky over at Mommy Wants Vodka that I am writing my first blog post. The advice she gave about writing for me really rang true, and gave me the impetus to stop blog stalking, and start blog writing. Not that I am going to stop blog stalking …
So I guess, for posterity, and any of you mad people that have the unfortunate opportunity to stumble across my first blog post, I should write what I want out of this. I suppose I really want to document what is going on for me, and for the people around me.
I keep writing this first post, going backwards and forwards, taking out the “me” references because I don’t want to be conceited, but this is a blog about me, so I should just let it be.
So to the blog title … At this point in time I am living with chronic pain, which is sometimes helped and sometimes hindered by The Mentalist (TM), aka the boyfriend, and Tigga, aka the ex. I will introduce these characters later on, as I think they each deserve a post of their own!
So this is my first post. Not very exciting, I grant you, but bear with me (no, not your actual bear, just a man in a suit), and I am sure it will get more interesting.
Good night, bushpigs.
So I guess, for posterity, and any of you mad people that have the unfortunate opportunity to stumble across my first blog post, I should write what I want out of this. I suppose I really want to document what is going on for me, and for the people around me.
I keep writing this first post, going backwards and forwards, taking out the “me” references because I don’t want to be conceited, but this is a blog about me, so I should just let it be.
So to the blog title … At this point in time I am living with chronic pain, which is sometimes helped and sometimes hindered by The Mentalist (TM), aka the boyfriend, and Tigga, aka the ex. I will introduce these characters later on, as I think they each deserve a post of their own!
So this is my first post. Not very exciting, I grant you, but bear with me (no, not your actual bear, just a man in a suit), and I am sure it will get more interesting.
Good night, bushpigs.
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